The instant invention relates to display apparatus and more particularly to a display panel assembly for displaying articles for retail sale.
A variety of different types of display apparatus have been heretofore available for displaying articles for retail sale. For example, various types of pegboard assemblies comprising apertured panels and one or more hanger elements which are removably receivable in the apertures in the panels have been widely used for supporting articles in various displays. However, it has frequently been found that the hanger elements of assemblies of this type are prone to becoming inadvertently disengaged from the panels thereof; and, as a result, for practical reasons, pegboard type display assemblies have often been found to be unsatisfactory. Other types of display assemblies which have included panels having permanently mounted hanger elements thereon have also been heretofore available, but have been found to be less than satisfactory because they cannot be readily adapted to meet the needs of various specific applications.
The instant invention provides an effective display panel assembly which is both highly practical and readily adaptable to meet the needs of various specific applications. Specifically, the display panel assembly of the instant invention comprises a display panel and one or more hanger elements which are detachably securable to the display panel for suspending various articles therefrom. The display panel comprises a front plate preferably having a plurality of elongated substantially horizontally extending slots therein and upper and lower positioning means on the rear side of the front plate which define a plurality of opposed notches adjacent the upper and lower edges of the slots. The hanger element comprises an engagement portion which includes first and second diverging arms and a hanger portion which extends outwardly from the engagement portion. The engagement portion is formed so that the arms are receivable through one of the slots when they are positioned in substantially aligned relation therewith but not when they are positioned in substantially transverse relation to the slot, and the arms are adapted so that they are receivable in engagement in the notches defined by the upper and lower positioning means for retaining the engagement portion in a position wherein the arms are in substantially transverse relation to the slot adjacent the rear side of the front plate. The hanger element is further constructed so that when the arms are received in engagement in the notches defined by the upper and lower positioning means, the hanger portion extends outwardly beyond the front plate for receiving and supporting an item for display in front of the front plate. The engagement portion is preferably formed so that the arms are resiliently movable together to move them into engagement in the notches, and the upper and lower positioning means are preferably constructed so that the arms are moved together slightly as they are moved into engagement in the notches in order to retain the arms in engagement in the notches. Specifically, the notches defined by at least one of either the upper positioning means or the lower positioning means are preferably defined by a plurality of rounded shoulders so that as the arms are moved into engagement in the notches, at least one of the arms cams on the adjacent rounded shoulder in order to resiliently move the arms together. The engagement portion is preferably integrally formed so that it comprises an elongated base portion, first and second converging portions, which extend inwardly and together from the opposite ends of the base portion, and first and second arms which are connected to the first and second converging portions respectively and diverge outwardly therefrom in rearwardly spaced relation to the converging portions. When the engagement portion is constructed in this manner, the base portion and the converging portions cooperate to mount the arms so that the arms can be resiliently moved together slightly, and the hanger portion extends outwardly from the base portion. Further, when the engagement portion is received in assembled relation with the panel, the converging portions engage the front side of the front plate, and the arms engage the rear side of the front plate to more effectively secure the hanger element on the panel.
It has been found that the display panel assembly of the instant invention can be effectively utilized for displaying various articles, such as prepackaged jewelry items, for retail sale. In this regard, the arms of the engagement portion are effectively securable in the notches in the upper and lower positioning means for detachably retaining the hanger element on the display panel. Further, the hanger element can be easily repositioned on the panel by repositioning it in the same slot or by assembling it in a different slot in the front plate.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide an effective display panel assembly for use in connection with retail sales.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide an effective display panel assembly comprising a panel and a hanger element which is effectively detachably securable to the panel but nevertheless readily repositionable thereon to adapt the display panel assembly for various specific applications.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.